Folded end-panel carton



1954 A. w. GLEASON ET AL 2,670,127

FOLDED END-PANEL CARTON Filed June 8, 1950 INVENTORS Augustus W.Gleason. Henry M. Bowles FIG. 2

as melted asphalt Patented Feb. 23, 1954 FOLDED END-PANEL CARTONAugustus W. Gleason, Berkeley, and Henry M. Bowles, San Francisco,Calif., assignors, by mesne assignments, to California ResearchCorporation, San Francisco, Calif., a corporation of DelawareApplication June 8, 1950, Serial No. 166,845

4 Claims.

This invention relates to knock-down cartons or containers madepreferably from heavy paperboard and the like, and more particularly isdirected to an arrangement for folding a paperboard blank to form anhexagonal carton having end closures adapted to hold fiuid materials,such and the like, or to serve as a protective enclosure for granularmaterials packaged in bags or other wrappings.

As particularly described in Simmons Patent No. 2,285,174, it has beenfound that hexagonal v cartons formed of heavy paperboard are especiallydesirable in the asphalt. This is due packaging and handling of to thefact that the hot and fluid asphalt filled into the carton may be moreeasily handled than other carton structures which have been proposedheretofore. While the arrangement of flaps and folds provided by thestructure disclosed in the Simmons patent have proved to be quitesatisfactory for the packaging of asphalt, it has been found that hot,fluid asphalt has a very high coefiicient of expansion. Due to this highcoefiicientof expansion, such material either must be filled into thehexagonal cartons at an inefficiently low temperature, or

provision must be made for over-filling a standard sized carton with themolten material in order to obtain the desired Weight of material in thefinished package when the cooled material has contracted to the expectedvolume. Accord ingly, to provide for this increased volume when theasphalt is fluid, the carton may be constructed so that the side panelsof the carton define a volume greater than that necessary when thematerial is cold or sufiicient free-board may be provided above the sidefilling. However, in the event that the length of'the side panels isincreased to provide the necessary volume, the asphalt will shrinksufficiently upon cooling so that the carton is not completely full andtherefore an unfilled volume of the carton will be present when the endpanels are closed. In this way one end of the carton is subjected tocrushing when thefilled cartons are stacked on top of each other; Forthese reasons, it has been common practice to fill the cartons withmaterial at temperatures below the optimum for free flow. This of courseresults in an inefiicient filling rate for the cartons. Additionally,since the asphalt is received from the refining stills at a temperatureabove that at which the paperboard cartons can be filled withoutscorching or burning, some cooling prior to the filling operation isrequired. However, the temperature at which thecartons may-be filledsafely is well above that dictated by the coeffipanels to permit over- 2cient of expansion. Hence, considerably more time and cooling capacityis required to reduce the temperature down to that used heretofore inthe filling operation.

Previously proposed types of cartons having end closure panels formed byextensions of the side panels and set apart from such side panels by atransverse score line have been found to be unsatisfactory in that thecut intersection of the corners failed to provide sufiicient freeboardto prevent spillage, restricted the filling temperature, or presenteddifiicult problems in securing the flaps together with a minimumexpenditure of labor and material.

Broadly, the present invention contemplates a carton which may be formedof a single blank of foldable material for forming an hexagonal cartonwhich has a body portion having six side panels and a closure flap, suchside panels and flap being defined by longitudinal fold, or score lineswith the top or end closing panels being further formed by a transversefold, or score line extending the width of the blank, and further scorelines being provided in alternate top panels to define isoscelestriangles therein, and with the outer edge of the blank being notchedfrom the center of the unscored top panel to the center of the adjacentscored panel to form tongue portions which may be interlocked tocomplete the closure.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an hexagonal cartonfor packaging asphalt, and thelike, which can be over-filled to thedesired weight without leakage at an optimum temperature for suchmaterial and thereby permitting faster filling of the carton.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a carton with a tightend closure which can be easily and securely closed with a minimum costof material and labor.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a blank for anhexagonal carton which may be easily assembled to provide a containerfor asphalt, and the like, which is sulficiently strong and sturdy toprevent bulging, and leaking of the fluid asphalt.

It is another object of this invention to provide an hexagonal cartonhaving end closures integral with the carton side panels and beingextensions thereof which are adapted to be folded inwardly to form atight end closure for the carton which may be securely maintained by theexterior stapling of the overlapping flaps.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an hexagonal cartonhaving superior reit sistance to damage from the normal hazards ofshipping for the enclosed contents.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent from the following description and the accompanying drawingwhich forms an integral part of this specification and illustrates apreferred embodiment of this invention as applied to an hexagonal cartonfor the packaging of asphalt.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view of a paperboard blankshowing the score lines forming the side panels and top panels and thenotches in the top, or outer edge of the blank.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the blank shown in Fig. 1, formed intoan hexagonal carton prior to the filling of the carton.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view similar to Fig. 2 in which the top or endclosure flaps are partially closed.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the hexagonal carton with the top panelsfolded and stapled to complete the closure of the carton.

Referring now to the drawing, and particularly to Fig. 1, referencenumeral it designates a blank which may be made of paperboard or othersuitable sheet material which may be folded to form an hexagonal cartonfor packaging asphalt, and the like. Blank i is provided with six sidepanels designated H, l2, l3, i4, i5 and I5 and a closure flap I! whichare defined from one another by six longitudinally extendin score, orfold lines IS, I9, 29, 2|, 22 and 23.

In order to define the top, or end forming panels 24, 25, 26, 21, 28,2,9 and 38, a fold, or score line 3| is provided the previouslymentioned score lines It to 23 and extends the full width of blank H3.Score line 3| is preferably positioned with respect to the outer edge ofblank In so that the portions of lines l9, 2! and 23 which extend fromthe line 31 to the edge of the blank are longer than the width of eachof the side panels H to it. By so locating line 3|, it is possible toform an isos celes, or equilateral triangle in end panels 25, 21

and 29 whose overall height is less than the 4,

length of the portion of lines 19, El and 23 which extend above line 3|.Preferably, the height of the triangles is equal to the radius of acircle inscribed within the. hexagon formed by the side panels of thecarton. These triangles are formed in alternate panels 25, 21 and 29 byscore lines 32 and 33. Score lines 32 and 33 are preferably equal to theradius of the circumscribed circle about the same hexagon. The purposeof the triangularly scored sections in panels 25, 2"! and 29 will becomeapparent from a description of the manner of folding the end closuresgiven in connection with Fig. 3 hereinafter.

In order to provide an arrangementwhich may be easily and rapidlyinterlocked, three notched portions designated generally as 3.4, 35 and355 have been provided in the upper edge of blank i 0 so that threetongue members 31, 38 and as are formed when closure flap ll overlapspanel ii. These tongue members extend from the center of a scored toppanel, such as 25, to the center of the next. adjacent unscored panel,such as 26. Notches 34, 35. and 36 may be cut so that the inner end ofside 43 ofthe tongue portion is coincident with the point where sides 32and 33 of the scored triangle cross. Both sides '40 and 33 of the tonguemembers are preferably of equal length. One satisfactory method offorming notches 34, 35 and 35 is, shown in Fig. 1 where, for examplenotch 34, is provided by lines 40, 41,

which is transverse to 42 and 43 which are sequentially connected byobtuse angles. The angle between sides 4| and 42 should be less than toprovide clearance for side 33 of the triangle when the end panels areoverlapped.

Reference is now made to Fig. 2 in which the bottom, or lower endclosure has been formed in any suitable manner to provide an end closurefor an hexagonal carton following the joining together of closure flapI1 with side panel I! to form the hexagonal carton. As shown in Fig. 2,closure flap I! may be joined to side panel H at intervals by staples44. Likewise, the end closure panel 30 may be joined to top panel 24 inthe same manner. With the carton formed as shown, hot asphalt or likethermoplastic material as well as granular solids of low, bulk-fillingdensity, may be poured into the hexagonal carton formed thereby and dueto the fact that the end closures are substantially extensions of theside panels, the finished weight of material may be placed in the cartonsince any increased volume due to temperature or compaction afterfilling may be accommodated by the freeboard provided by top panels 24to 29 without the danger of leakage or overflow such as would occur withthe top panels being cut to the base of transverse score line 3|.

While normally asphalt is permitted to cool prior to closure of thecarton, it is possible to complete the closure while the material isstill semi-fluid. As shown in Fig. 3, the previously defined top panels25, 21 and 29 may be pushed inwardly so that the triangular portions,formed by score lines 32 and 3'3, are depressed. By continued pushinginwardly on these triangular portions, the three unscored panels 24, 26and 2B are moved inwardly preparatory to closing. The final closure isthen completed as shown in Fig.

4 so that the three tongue portions 31, 3t and 39 overlap notches 34, 35and 3B. The inwardly folded, triangularly scored top panels 25, 2! and2B are depressed to such an extent that tongues 31, 3t and 39 overlapthe next adjacent unscored panel without interference by the scoredpanels. The advantage of this arrangement of tongue members 31, 38 and39 overlying the next adjacent unscored panels is twofold in effect.First, the inner ends of the tongue member inter-engage to producev alocking effect so that a smooth tight closure of the carton is obtained.Second, the sealing of the end closure is greatly facilitated since theexcess paper stock is disposed exteriorly of the carton in threeoverlapping rectangular flaps which may be closed by only three staples55 located generally in the positions shown in Fig. 4. Ease in staplingthe end closure results from the fact that in the stapling operation itis possible to insert a thin, horizontally disposed anvil again-st whichthe stapling machine must operate under the adjacent fold which overliesthe triangular portion of the scored top panel.

From the foregoing description of the hexagonal carton constructed inaccordance with the present invention, it will be apparent that anovelarrangement has been provided for forming and closing such a carton. Byvirtue of this'arrangement, a-carton, or container for asphalt and thelike hasbeen provided which may befilled to the desired weight,irrespective offlnal volume, without leakage since the endclosure'panels 25 to as are substantially continuation-s, respectively,of side panels H to IE5 and provide a container of greater initialvolume than that finally required. It will also beapparent that byvirtue'of the present invention a carton has been provided which may bemore easily closed than any similar prior device of which we are awarewith a minimum of material and labor. Furthermore, by the presentarrangement a container for asphalt has been provided which issufliciently strong and sturdy in construction to withstand bulging, orleaking of fluid asphalt when the carton is being filled. By virtue ofthis invention an hexagonal carton is provided which is particularlyresistant to the subsequent hazards of shipping and afiording superiorprotection to the contents of the carton.

While modifications and changes in the present arrangement will beapparent to those skilled in the art, all such modifications and changesas fall within the scope of the appended claims are intended to beincluded thereby.

We claim:

1. A single blank of foldable material for forming an hexagonal cartoncomprising a body portion having six side panels and a side closure flapfor forming the six sides of said carton, said side panels and flapbeing defined from one another by score lines, top forming panelsextending outwardly from each of said side panels and said flap anddefined therefrom by a score line extending the width of said blank,score lines forming an isosceles triangle in alternate top panels withthe base of said triangle defined by the side panel scores lines and thetop panel score line, the other of said alternate top panels beingunscored, and each of said top panels having an outwardly extendingtongue portion and an inwardly extending notch portion from the centerof said panel to the score lines defining the opposite edges of said toppanel, and notch portions and tongue portions of each of said scored toppanels being respectively adjacent the notch portions and tongueportions of the adjacent unscored top panels.

2. A blank for forming an hexagonal container comprising a sheet offoldable material having parallel fold lines extending the length ofsaid sheet to form six panels and a side closure flap, the outer edge ofsaid sheet having a notch extending inwardly from the center of each 01'said panels to the center of the next adjacent panel to form threespaced tongue portions when said container is assembled, a fold linetransverse to said parallel fold lines to divide said panels into sideand top panels, and fold lines forming an equilateral triangle inalternate top panels and having the apex of said triangle coincidentwith the base of one side or said tongue portions.

3. A blank for forming an hexagonal carton from an integral sheet offoldable material having parallel fold lines extending the length ofsaid sheet to form six panels and a side closure fiap, a transverse foldline to divide said panels into rectangular side panels and end panels,alternate end panels having fold lines defining equilateral triangleswith the apex of said triangles at a dis,- tance less than the greatestlength of said end panel, the other of said alternate end panels beingunscored, the outer edge of each of said scored end panels being notchedto form tongue means extending outwardly from said apex of said triangleand laterally from the center of said end panel to the edge of saidpanel, and said alternate unscored end panels being similarly notched,the notched edge of said unscored end panels being adjacent the notchededge of said scored end panels to form three spaced tongue means whensaid sheet is assembled as a carton.

4. A blank for forming an hexagonal carton from an integral sheet offoldable material having parallel fold lines extending the length ofsaid sheet to form six panels and a transverse fold line to divide saidpanels into rectangular side panels and shorter end panels, threealternate end panels having fold lines each equal in length to the widthof said panels beginning at the intersection of said parallel fold linesand said transverse fold line and intersecting at a point spacedinwardly from the ends of said panels, and the edge of each of said endpanels being notched inwardly at the center thereof to the depth of saidlast named points and laterally to the parallel fold line dividing saidend panel from the adjacent end panel, the notched portions and thetongue portions of each of said three end panels having fold linestherein being disposed adjacent respectively the notched portions andtongue portions of the other three end panels.

AUGUSTUS W. GLEASON. HENRY M. BOWL-ES.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName I Date 2,044,103 Rossi June 16, 1936 2,047,804 Shapiro July 14,1936 2,439,435 Richardson Apr. 13, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number CountryDate 61,585 Denmark Nov. 15, 1943

